For no reason other than I find it interesting, here’s Louis C.K. performing stand-up on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” back in 1993. At the time, C.K. was actually one of Conan’s writers, and it’s cool to see him in his early days — thin, with a whole head of hair, and still telling the jokes that Dane Cook would later rip off. He’s so young! The man who will become the best comic in the world still has so much ahead of him here: divorce, male pattern baldness, a failed show on HBO… hmmm, I can see why “Louie” gets kinda dark sometimes.

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Holy shit. This is almost irrefutable evidence that Dane Cook is a fucking hack. Damn.

03.04.11 at 11:37 am

Otto Man

I forgot that he was the comic behind the “God ran out of extras” joke.

What’s weirder? Seeing him young, or dressed in something other than a black t-shirt?

03.04.11 at 12:20 pm

PamsRack

Remember that time 18 years ago when Louis C.K. wasn’t funny? Is it 1993 again already? I don’t get it. He’s not very funny.

03.04.11 at 12:55 pm

Taco_Jones

I think he still does that joke about trying to yell before something bad happens.

03.04.11 at 2:31 pm

GiantCrab

His interview on the WTF podcast with Mark Maron was so awesome. Louis actually cries during the interview. I didn’t know that was possible for him.

03.04.11 at 5:54 pm

TFBuckFutter

Yeah, Louis sure does see guys on bikes get hit by car doors on a fairly regular basis.

03.04.11 at 6:51 pm

bloom

Huh. So Nick Swardson stole his “making stuff up in a story after you realize halfway into it that it’s a boring story” bit from Louis CK. That’s disappointing to discover.

03.05.11 at 6:21 pm

Metallimetal

I’m not trying to defend comics who straight up steal jokes and bits from other comics, but isn’t it possible for similar scenarios to occur for these other guys? There have been numerous times where I heard a comedian say something exactly the way I thought it up, or some random event that unfolded just as it did for myself. So, I’m just saying that maybe, just maybe, it’s possible. Also, I remember Louis saying during and interview, that once he’s written and told said joke, he moves on… Well, needless to say, but he’s been telling some of these jokes since 1993! He’s still great, though! I really wish that HBO hadn’t dropped Lucky Louie. Such a great show.

03.07.11 at 10:36 am

stavros45

Yeah, the bike joke was clearly similar, except that I laughed during Dane’s version.

@Metallimetal: Seriously, it’s not like these jokes are based are specific anecdotes. Wow, I guy on a bike getting hit my a car. It’s a one-in-a-million chance!!

03.07.11 at 2:07 pm

dougedart

Mark Maron did the same exact joke about telling a story that happened to someone else and claiming it as your own. I mean, almost word for word. Who did it first???